252 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



produced by the influence of New York ; arid 

 determined that they never should be executed. 

 The evasive, irresolute, contradictory act? of 

 Congress, had nearly destroyed all the faith and 

 confidence, which the j^eople of Vermont had 

 reposed in that body : And it was generally 

 thought it would not be best to have any con- 

 nexion with them ; but only to keep up the 

 custom and form of choosing delegates every 

 year, to represent the state of Vermont. 



The war with Great Britain, had proved 

 greatly distressing to every part of the United 

 States ; but it had served to establish an union 

 iamong the people of America, which could not 

 have been so firmly cemented, but by the pros- 

 pect of common danger. This appearance was 

 iiow come to an end. On January the 20th, 

 1783, the preliminary articles of peace were 

 signed by the ministers of the king of Great 

 Britain, and the United States of America. In 

 this treaty the former colonies were acknowl- 

 edged to be free, sovereign and independent 

 states. By putting an end to the war, this treaty 

 put an end to the embarrassments of Congress, 

 and to all the fears of the people of Vermont. 

 An union with the confederation, was no longer 

 a matter of immediate and urgent necessity. 

 The state had now no external enemies to op- 

 pose, or any body of troops to be raised, or kept 

 in pay. Weary of so long and distressing a 

 war, all parties wished for the repose and tran- 

 quility of peace ; and were heartily desirous of 

 dropping all occasions of controversy and de- 

 bate. The business of Congress however, be- 

 came more and more ei;nbarrassing. Their 



